Sitz bath pan



Jan. 15, 1963 o. MQCALL ETAL SITZ BATH PAN Filed Aug. 25

INVENTORS.

United States Patent Ofiice 3,072,918 Patented Jan. 15, 1963 3,072,918SITZ BATH PAN Oliver L. McCall and Jane L. McCall, both ofOOEW-443-South, Lot 20, Kokomo, Ind. Filed Aug. 25, 1961, Ser. No.133,841 2 Claims. (Cl. 4-6) The present invention relates to certain newand useful improvements in a sitz bath pan and has to do with a specialadaptation which constitutes an advance in the art.

Persons conversant with the art to which the instant invention relatesare aware that following surgery involving, for example, a hemorrhoidaloperation, the patient is instructed, perhaps required, to sit in wateras hot as he or she can tolerate for approximately twenty minutes threetimes a day and for 'a period ranging from six to eight weeks afterleaving the hospital. A current method of achieving the desired endresult is for the patient to disrobe, draw a small amount of hot water,say three inches or. so in depth, in his bathtub and sit in the wateremploying, as is usually the case, an inflated rubber ring forcomfortand support. Where the patient is overweight and at the sametimeelderly and is called upon vto follow this procedureshortly aftersurgery he is indeed confronted with a task getting in and out of thetub and taxing his strength and recovery reserves. Others working inthis art have long since recognized and evaluated the problem and haveattempted to solve it in one manner or another. It can be assumed thatpractical efforts in this direction have to do with a portable sitz bathpan or basin, one which may be associated with ones home toilet, that iscooperatively aligned with the hopper or bowl and the usual hinged seatring. One such example would be the bidet of the Da Silva Patent2,251,039, and the other one a composite or two-part adaptation offeredin the Oliver patent, 2,450,607. The

last-named patent has to do with a basin arranged to assume a positionwithin an opening, the usual opening, in a toilet seat in conjunctionwith a ring having an annular depending flange adapted to be seatedwithin the opening and having spacedmeans for supporting the basin withtherim thereof in annular spaced relation with the flange. Thefirst-named Patent 2,251,039 has to do with apaper, rubber or'single-usemetal adaptation capable of being conveniently packed and transported bythe user or employed as a permanent fixture of a bathroom water closetand which is primarily intended to be rolled up or folded fortransportation in a suitcase or the like. In both instances it willbevnoticed that the supporting flange rests atop the seat ring. In botharrangements a very shallow receptacle or pan is employed.

In the instant matter one improvement resides in the increased capacityin that provision is made for approximately eight quarts of hot waterand with this arrangement it is possible for the user to maintain a moreeven and desired temperature of water during the application of the bathwater.

In addition to being simple, practical, economical, rigid and ofone-piece construction with no separate parts to break or get out oforder the present adaptation is unique in that it has a supportingflange which is located under the seat, is rigid and foolproof. With thearrangement shown the patients body does not contact the supportingflange at any time while the pan is being used.

The present invention is also original in that it is characterized by areceptacle portion the bottom of which has a drain hole and a plug, thisbeing an exclusive feature in that it enables the user to remove andstore the empty pan after it has been used. Manifestly the weight of twogallons of water is a burdensome and sometimes dangerous load for aweakened patient to cope with. Then, too, with this adaptation there islittle or no chance of spilling the water while trying to remove andempty the full pan as in prior art adaptations.

The fact that the supporting flange is interposed or sandwiched betweenthe top of the bowls water circulating and distributing rim and theunderneath side of the usual ring-type seat makes for comfort of thenatural toilet seat for hospital or home use.

In prior art adaptations the receptacle or fluid container has itsvertical wall situated inside the opening in the toilet seat which, ofcourse, reduces the diameter and inside circumference of the seat andthus prevents the region of the patients body receiving the treatmentfrom being effectually immersed in the bath water.

The present invention also features the adoption and use ofcircumferentially spaced overflow slots at the prerequisite level whichwork together to maintain a con stant water level in the pan during theinitial immersion at the beginning of the treatment and continue tomaintain it throughout the entire twenty minute treatment.

It will be further noted that the overflow outlets or slots are situatedbelow the actual level of the fiat top surface of the bowls rim with theresult that there could never be any spillage on the floor or moistureon the seat by reason of accidental water displacement particularly atthe beginning of the treatment.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing bad to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in section and elevation showing a conventional hometoilet with bowl, tank, seat ring down, cover up and with the improvedsitz bath pan installed and readied for use;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view with the seat ring up and showing thesupporting flange of the pan which view may be said to be approximatelyon the plane of the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken approximately onthe central line 33 of FIGURE 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

With reference first to FIGURE 1 the hopper or bowl ing rim 8 whichusually has a flat or a substantially flat top side or surface 10. Theflush tank is denoted at 12, the seat or seat ring at 14, cover at 16,hinge means at 18, and rubber spacing feet on the bottom of the seat at20. Thus the description so far covers a conventional or standard typeflush toilet.

The improved portable readily insertable and removable sitz bath pan orcontainer is denoted as an entity by the numeral 22. It is made ofsuitable rigid shape-sustaining sheet material such as non-corrodiblemetal, an appropriate grade of commercial plastics or whatever themanufacturer finds most suitable for commercializing the invention.There is a bottom the major portion 24 of which is horizontal, avertical wall 26, and a rearwardly and downwardly slanting or slopingforwardly disposed bottomvportion 28. The upper open end of thereceptacle portion is provided with a horizontal endless imperforatesupporting flat-faced flange 30 the major portion 32 of which is ofovate shape in plan to conform to and rest firmly on the bowl surface10. The rear central portion 34 of the flange is suitably narrowed andcut straight across to avoid interference with the existing or customaryhinge means 18 as perhaps satisfactorily shown in FIGURE 1. Theaforementioned circumferentially spaced overflow slots are denoted at 36and are not only in a plane below the flange means 30 but just below theplane of the surface 10. The rearwardly disposed eccentric drainage holeor opening 36 in the bottom wall is diametrically opposite to thesloping portion of the bottom and may be provided with an appropriatebushing or liner 38 held in place by a supporting flange 40 and thusproviding a drain hole for the insertable and removablerdrain closingplug 42. This plug is mounted on a pull'chain 44 the upper accessibleend of which is anchored on the central rearward portion of the flangeas at 46.

It will be evident that the under-the-seat supporting flange 30 restingfirmly on the surface provides adequate support for the overall hotwater containing pan 22. The flange also serves to support thebutton-like feet 20 as illustrated in FIGURE 1 and, of course, thesignificant thing to note is that the seat ring 14 is the surface onwhich the patient sits in the manner illustrated in phantom lines inFIGURE 1. The sitz bath pan cons'truction revealed with its wide flatflange will fit any of the various sizes and shapes of modern stools orbowls whichare being used'today. Prior art adaptations are apparentlypractical only on toilet constructions which conform to the size andshape of the exact pan itself. This factor alone is a matter worthy ofobjective consideration. The construction which results from the shapeis simplicity itself and provides smooth available s'ur faces which areeasier to sterilize and maintain in a 'sani tary condition for bothhospital and home use.

It is submitted that the invention which will serve the intendedpurposes not only of enthusiastic users but will complywith the demandsof manufacturers, wholesalers' and retailers. Then, too, nurses andphysicians will unquestionably be ready to endorse the invention fromthe standpoint of practicability and safe and reliable usefulness.

It is further believed that a further consideration of the specificationin conjunction with the views of the drawing and the invention asclaimed will enable the vmodifications and changes will readily occur tothose skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention tothe exact construction and operation shown and described, andaccordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resortedto, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed,

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. For use in conjunction with a conventional type toilet bowl providedwith aflushing rim having a substantially flat top surface and ahingedly mounted seat the bottom side of which is opposed to andparallel with the top surface when the seat is in use; a sitz bath panhaving a receptacle portion including a bottom, the rearwardhalf-portion thereof being substantially flat and horizontal when inuse, the forward half-portion being inclined and sloping rearwardly anddownwardly toward and merging into said rearward half-portion, and anupstanding vertically disposable wall joined to and rising from saidbottom, said upstanding wall being provided at the top thereof with aflat-faced laterally projecting endless pan-seating and supportingflange which is adapted to seat itself atop said top surface, said topportion of said upstanding wall being provided with a plurality ofequidistant circumferentially spaced overflow slots, said slots rangingcompletely around the circumference of the Wall and being in closeproximity to the under? ncath side of said flange, said slotsfunctioning to mark the expected level of the water contained in saidreceptacle portion and also .providing for the overflow of water to thetoilet bowl when'the pan is'being used, that portion of the Wallbelow'said slots being wholly imperforate,

the receptacle portion" of. said pan being of a capacity row andwith'th'e' marginal edge cut straight across.

2. The structure defined in claim 1, and wherein'said bottom'wall'isprovided with an eccentrically positioned drain hole, a manuallyinsertable and removable closing plug fitting into said drain hole, anda pull chain connected at a lower end with said plug and having an upperend connected to the rearward portion of the flange adjacen't tosa'idrelatively narrow rearward portion, said drain hole' beingpositioned diametrically opposite said inclined portion wherebythelatter facilitates expeditious draining of water from the receptacleportion by way of said drain hole.

References Cited the file of 7 this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,251,039 Da Silva V V July 29, 1941 2,426,303 Graber Aug. 26, 19472,947,994 Saulson et a1. Aug. 9, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 165,303Switzerland Feb, 1, 1934

1. FOR USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH A CONVENTIONAL TYPE TOILET BOWL PROVIDEDWITH A FLUSHING RIM HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT TOP SURFACE AND AHINGEDLY MOUNTED SEAT THE BOTTOM SIDE OF WHICH IS OPPOSED TO ANDPARALLEL WITH THE TOP SURFACE WHEN THE SEAT IS IN USE; A SITZ BATH PANHAVING A RECEPTACLE PORTION INCLUDING A BOTTOM, THE REARWARDHALF-PORTION THEREOF BEING SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT AND HORIZONTAL WHEN INUSE, THE FORWARD HALF-PORTION BEING INCLINED AND SLOPING REARWARDLY ANDDOWNWARDLY TOWARD AND MERGING INTO SAID REARWARD HALF-PORTION, AND ANUPSTANDING VERTICALLY DISPOSABLE WALL JOINED TO AND RISING FROM SAIDBOTTOM, SAID UPSTANDING WALL BEING PROVIDED AT THE TOP THEREOF WITH AFLAT-FACED LATERALLY PROJECTING ENDLESS PAN-SEATING AND SUPPORTINGFLANGE WHICH IS ADAPTED TO SEAT ITSELF ATOP SAID TOP SURFACE, SAID TOPPORTION OF SAID UPSTANDING WALL BEING PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OFEQUIDISTANT CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED OVERFLOW SLOTS, SAID SLOTS RANGINGCOMPLETELY AROUND THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE WALL AND BEING IN CLOSEPROXIMITY TO THE UNDERNEATH SIDE OF SAID FLANGE, SAID SLOTS FUNCTIONINGTO MARK THE EXPECTED LEVEL OF THE WATER CONTAINED IN SAID RECEPTACLEPORTION AND ALSO PROVIDING FOR THE OVERFLOW OF WATER TO THE TOILET BOWLWHEN THE PAN IS BEING USED, THAT PORTION OF THE WALL BELOW SAID SLOTSBEING WHOLLY IMPERFORATE, THE RECEPTACLE PORTION OF SAID PAN BEING OF ACAPACITY CAPABLE OF ACCOMMODATING APPROXIMATELY EIGHT QUARTS OF HOTWATER, CAPABLE OF MAINTAINING A NECESSARY EVEN WATER TEMPERATURE FOR APRESCRIBED 20-MINUTE SITZ BATH, SAID FLANGE BEING IMPERFORATETHROUGHOUT, THE REAR SEGMENTAL PORTION OF SAID FLANGE DIAMETRICALLYOPPOSITE TO THE AFOREMENTIONED INCLINED BOTTOM PORTION BEING RELATIVELYNARROW AND WITH THE MARGINAL EDGE CUT STRAIGHT ACROSS.